Category: Lucid

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Lucid Offers Depth Perception For VR Capture

Lucid are perhaps best known as the makers of the LucidCam, one of the first commercially available virtual reality 180-degree cameras on the market. That company is now seeking to expand its reach and further democratise the process of making VR and 3D video by offering its AI-powered 3D Fusion technology for smartphone and other dual and multi-camera devices.

The Lucid software solution means that several devices that are equipped with two more more cameras will become capable of capturing panoramic 3D images including depth-of-field information.

The advantage of the Lucid software is that it eliminates the need for multiple sensor rigs and castle depth sensors, relying purely on AI software algorithms. As Han Jin, the CEO of Lucid, explains: “The way we as humans accurately perceive three dimensions and distances is not solely based on our two eyes but rather a combination of experience, learning and inference. As chips and servers begin to approach the processing power of our brains, we can mimic this intelligence in software only, using AI and data on top of dual cameras,”

Devices such as smartphones robots drones and security cameras will be able to use the software to capture footage with almost human levels of depth perception. Lucid has already begun to incorporate this software into devices from several companies, and is also working with laptop, drone and chip makers to improve the next generation of products.

“The depth information that is captured through the addition of the second camera is what separates a device from recommending you similar clothes to knowing much more, such as the precise size, shape, style, fit, and texture. This leads to a much bigger benefit for consumers, and thus belongs in many more products than just the LucidCam,” said Jin.

Further information can be found on the Lucid official website. For future coverage on new applications for VR technology, keep checking back with VRFocus.

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Lucid Is A Must-See VR Film From The Makers Of Ctrl

Lucid Is A Must-See VR Film From The Makers Of Ctrl

VR, it would seem, has some parenting problems. Whether it’s the wistful lingering memories of Dear Angelica or time-traveling trips of Assent, the ordeals of our elders have served as an unexpected source of storytelling for many an experience as we’ve found our footing in this new medium. Perhaps it says something about how VR creators are trying to learn how to make content without the guiding hand of previous experience, or perhaps it’s all just one big coincidence.

Either way, Lucid is a fantastic new take on these familiar themes.

Lucid is the latest flagship piece from Breaking Fourth, the studio that brought you Ctrl. Whereas the team has deviated from its theatrical roots of late with pieces like Opinions and Bro Bots, this marks a return to the engrossing kind of drama the studio made its name on, complete with some of the tricks it’s learned since.

This touching piece follows a mother and daughter relationship through the impossible landscapes of the mind. We open inside the mindscape of Eleanor which her daughter, Astra, is exploring with the help of an experimental new technology. But Astra isn’t simply on a psychedelic field trip; she’s there to save her mother. Eleanor is in a coma following a car crash and, in the real world, Astra is beside her wearing a state of the art headset that allows her to dive into her mother’s mind and try to pull her out.

But it’s easier said than done. Eleanor, a renowned children’s author, has taken on the identity of one of her most famous characters and is busying herself exploring the scenes she created in her stories, which Astra has come to know by heart. In the real world, both characters appear as real people but, within Eleanor’s mind they become plucky, cartoonish adventurers kitted out for an amazing journey.

Lucid is an exercise in both world and character building. As Astra strives to jolt her mother back to reality we visit giant treehouses, snowy planets and underwater marvels. This is an experience that takes full advantage of the sheer impossibility of VR, never passing on the chance to take you somewhere new and fantastical.

More importantly, though, it demonstrates how much Breaking Fourth has grown as a VR storyteller and showcases its grasp on what makes the medium tick. Lucid’s best moments involve clever tricks and unexplored territory. There are transitions that transport you to entirely new places without you even realizing and the more dramatic beats put you in the middle of situations you pray you’ll never encounter for real. It’s a sort of terrible privilege.

But it’s that last point that makes Lucid a must-see. It has moments that work so well because it’s in VR, like the uncomfortable invasion of privacy you feel from standing over Eleanor’s real-world body and the dread of being powerless to stop inevitable events as they unfold right in front of your eyes.

If you’ve seen Ctrl then you know Breaking Fourth isn’t afraid to touch on some dark themes and the same is true of this, though there’s a welcome touch of endearing humor to it, too. Eleanor is a fussy, stubborn figure that exudes a kind of humorous existence with everything she does. Ultimately that makes the blows hit harder later in the piece when Astra comes to terms with some of the more recent events in their life, which can be hard to watch. The running time is under 20 minutes and yet Breaking Forth successfully makes you care about these characters enough in that time to leave an impact as the credits roll.

Lucid may be exploring relatively worn territory for VR experiences (I couldn’t tell you how many people’s minds I’ve explored now), but through novel techniques and a focus on characters it crafts something truly memorable. It suggests that we’re moving past the stage in which we figure out why we should tell stories in VR and start capitalizing on what makes them thrive.  I can’t wait to see how Breaking Fourth builds on this yet again.

Lucid will be available both as a full VR experience and 360 degree video later this year.

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Breaking Fourth Showcase Lucid at VRLO

For those who have been anxiously following Breaking Fourth ever since their virtual reality (VR) film CTRL can soon expect another emotional film called Lucid. A demo was available at ninth VRLO which was held at London’s Central Saint Martins University and VRFocus managed to sit down to speak to Pete Short, VR Director and CTO at Breaking Fourth about the film. 

The twenty minute seated piece follows daughter Astra as she dives into the mind of her comatose mother in order to try and piece together her consciousness and bring her back to the real world. The two go on an adventure that puts character at the heart of the story.

Breaking Fourth create various VR content ranging from light-hearted and entertaining music videos to long emotional pieces that are about making an impact such as CTRL. Short explains to VRFocus that CTRL was a long VR film in duration, and Lucid too became longer after Breaking Fourth received feedback from users asking for the experience to be lengthened. Short also says that Lucid could not have come out any sooner, as with the evolution of VR technology Breaking Fourth want to stay at the forefront of technology and will continue to experiment with the newest capabilities of immersive technology.

“I think we are starting to see an evolution of VR users that are willing to take these experiences, rather than having a jump in-jump out situation.” Short explains. “Like you get with a five minute experience, and actually wanting to stay in these worlds.”

So far the feedback couldn’t be better, with most users being extremely excited about Lucid. Short says that the piece is currently being submitted to several film festivals and the 360° version will be released this December on the Samsung Gear VR. The full version of Lucid will be available exclusively to the Oculus Rift next year for free. This may also be coming to Breaking Fourth’s app, that itself is heading to the Samsung Gear VR and will feature all of Breaking Fourth’s CGI pieces – as well as their future content moving forward. All of the content on the platform will be free at the initial launch. Short wants to have as many people experiencing their content and this is a great way to do it.

Watch the video below to find out more about Lucid and Breaking Fourth’s new app.